Victor Emmanuel II Monument - Piazza Venezia, Rome - King above the Eternal City

The monumental equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel II overlooks Piazza Venezia and the historic rooftops of central Rome from the Vittoriano.

The monumental equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel II rises high above Piazza Venezia, overlooking the rooftops, churches and historic architecture of central Rome. Seen from the upper levels of the Vittoriano, the gilded bronze king and horse dominate the foreground while the Eternal City stretches into the distance beneath a dramatic sky. Victor Emmanuel II was the first king of unified Italy, and the Vittoriano was conceived as the great national monument dedicated to his memory. The equestrian statue was designed by sculptor Enrico Chiaradia beginning in 1889 and completed by Emilio Gallori following Chiaradia’s death in 1901. Cast in 1906 and installed in 1910, the enormous sculpture measures approximately 10 metres in length and 12 metres in height. Its marble pedestal, created by Eugenio Maccagnani, is decorated with allegorical female figures representing fourteen historically important Italian cities. From this elevated perspective, the statue becomes a striking link between the story of Italian unification and the layered cityscape of modern Rome.